Unauthorized Repairs Sideline 3 Subs

Faulty steam pipe elbows supplied by a vendor have rendered three attack submarines unable to deploy. The submarines – North Dakota, Minnesota, and John Warner – are undergoing further repairs to correct the problem at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia. In breaking the story, Defense News reported that the problem posed no immediate threat to the vessels or their crews. Rather, the issue impacted the long-term functionality of the vessels. The Navy issued the following related statement: “As part of an ongoing investigation to into a quality control issue with a supplier, General Dynamics Electric Boat [GDEB, the vessels’ builder] determined that three steam pipe elbows supplied by the vendor in question required additional testing and repair due to unauthorized and undocumented weld repairs having been performed on these elbows. GDEB along with Huntington Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipbuilding are performing additional inspections to [resolve] the issue … The Navy is committed to ensuring the safety of its crews and ships. High quality standards for submarine components are an important part of the overall effort to ensure safety.”